Coastal Cl***ics llc.a shopin my hometown of Jackson N.J was busted for taking 58,000 from a customer and never restoring his 48 chevy coupe.Just saying.
So... how long did the shop have the car before somebody thought something was up I wonder? There's more to the story...
Wow, not too far from me. There is always more to the story, but looks like there is enough for him to be arrested and charged. "Mahoney was arrested at the Jackson business by Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Detectives and township patrol officers on Friday, July 19"
Yeah thats why this forum is so valuable to do it yourselfers like us.I spent about 12000 restoring my 62 ford galaxie the only thing i paid for was ****** rebuild and machine shop work on the 390.
i have finished restoring a few cars that the customers had the same/similar situation. all were retrieved with missing parts and parts from other modern cars.
That sounds like a serious case of fraud but I've seen too many cases of "restoration or rod shops" lately that the individuals running the shop and doing the work don't have the skills or wherewithal to correctly complete a project or complete one at the level they are being paid to in the time frame that they are being paid for. It's starting to look like too many characters see these guys "building or restoring" cars on TV and all the sudden think they can do it for a living and actually do third rate used car lot work and get away with it.
i will take the other side so anyone who is having a car restored and is not happy with the quality of work , the rate it's getting done and the cost can have the shop manager thrown in jail? if the car was in the shop and just not done i would think it would be hard to prove fraud. without all the facts i think this is more of a civil case and not a criminal case. i don't see enough info in that link to justify arrest....unless there is more to the story. just because the driveline is out doesn't mean someone is getting ripped off the cylinder heads for my 283 is at a shop right now , they called and said they need $500. that's too much..... i think i will have them thrown in jail
I have been self-employed as a builder (houses, not cars) for almost forty years .... still at it but what I see too many times are guys with hands-on talent but not a bit of business sense and they are destined to fail without it. Getting in over their heads, robbing Peter to pay Paul, not being realistic on their production abilities ..... and the whole time too stupid, or too vain, to realize that they are going down the toilet... its all sad situations that turn the best of people into lying dishonest crooks.
Reading the story, money was paid and nothing done. Plus, parts are MISSING. So, fraud and theft. Over 3 years.
He took the money between Aug 2006 and Oct 2009 so he had 3 years to finish it there. If it was still in the shop, he had 7 years. It isn't a case of not being finished to the customer's satisfaction, it was taken apart and nothing done. Who knows if the drive train is even around. If you pay the shop the $500 for the work on your heads, and 7 years later only the castings are there, you wouldn't think you are getting ripped off?
Glad they busted him. There are way too many bad businessmen and scam artists pulling like stunts out there. ---John
there was a contract , and it was breached by Mr Mahoney...... i still say it's a civil case unless there is more to the story
So you're second guessing the law enforcement officials decision from afar, even though they've obviously spent a lot of time investigating this case? If it was a "civil case", he wouldn't be in jail. He apparently was involved in some blatant wrong-doing. "Not enough info"? He's charged with theft by deception. They don't usually charge someone without good reason and proof. He had the car from Aug. 29, 2006 'til Oct. 15, 2009. That's over 3 years, and it's far from finished...not even a drivetrain or suspension. Yet the bill was nearing $60,000. C'mon. And this is no custom job...it's a straightforward restoration. The Detectives determined that he spent the money. What more do you want? He spent the money on things other than the car. The money isn't even available to finish the car. The vehicle is missing the engine, transmission, driveshaft, suspension and gl***. October of 2009 since the car was in the shop, and those parts aren't only not installed, but sounds as though maybe they're actually missing. He's held on $35,000 bail, no 10 percent option. Sounds like they're not in a hurry to let him go free.
While mistakes can happen, I'm sure there's much that isn't reported. I'm also sure that the guy wouldn't be locked up in a civil case. If I dropped off my car to get worked on and find out a time later that parts are gone and moneys gone, I'm pretty sure that's just plain theft.
This is no different than things like the Bernie Madoff scam. You could argue that it was a civil contract between the investors and Bernie , but Bernie took the money and didn't deliver the promised returns. The restoration shop took this man's money and didn't do what they promised and don't have the money to return to him........that is theft. If the authorities in that town arrested him they evidently felt the same way. Hope the s*** bag gets the book thrown at him. Don
If I could get people to pay me nearly $60,000 to restore a "not too desirable" car over a 3 year period, I'd consider doing restorations for a living. Trouble is, finding an abundant number of clients that stupid would not be easy.
This is why I don't take money up front, thoroughly write up and bill weekly, and welcome owners into my shop at all times. No mysteries. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Add Rick Erickson of EXK to the list. He's burned a few guys on here for some serious money. A few guys from the east coast, one overseas and another guy out in CA.
Bunk! ... I know Rick Erickson. According to his intro he walks on water ... or do you even know what a intro is? EDIT: Or maybe that was a different Rick Erickson ....LOL
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